Food Fight
by Belefstrean
Summary: With the unveiling of a new cafe in Daath, Anise decided to give it a try. She didn't expect such a mess to occur, though. Implied Sync x Anise.
1. Act One

A/N: I recently have developed a liking…okay, an obsession…for the pairing, Sync x Anise. Don't ask me why, I just don't really like that girl paired up with Ion. We need more SynAni fics around here!!

.::Food Fight::.

**Act One**

Daath was considered the holy city of Auldrant. It was the main base of the Order of Lorelei, and throughout the continent of Padamiya were located several stone markers, visited by many on a pilgrimage. Despite its size and popularity among the masses, Daath was still a quiet place, and it did not have the facilities of some of the other cities of its stature.

It lacked _entertainment_.

Well, that's what Anise thought about it. It was her opinion, and she was irritated that the other members of the Order didn't think so. They all seemed to be content with the mundane life that was thrown at them in between missions.

That's why, when a new rumor spread, the puppeteer was a little more than overjoyed to hear about it.

They were saying that a new restaurant would be opening very soon. It would be just like the ones in both Baticul and Grand Chokmah. It would have the same 'feel' as them, similar choices of food, and would be what many called "five-star".

Anise was incredibly excited for this new attraction to come about. Being herself, she was thrilled to finally be able to eat and be treated like one of the aristocrats out there. Or at least, like one of the members of the richer crowd. She was certain that restaurants like that were only available to the rich, and she vowed that she'd be one of the first to try it out.

A month later, as prophesized, a new café opened its doors to the citizens of Daath. It was as if someone had made an enormous hole in the wall of the rather cheap Inn, and renovated it to have fine glass doors and windows.

For the first few days after its grand opening, the café, christened Cinnamon, was always packed with people from morning to night, so much so that the Fon Master Guardian wasn't able to keep the promise she'd made to herself.

Watching over Ion took up most of her schedule, and she was desperate to be given some time off. Perhaps Ion would even be so kind as to accompany her!

-------------

"Anise." The young Fon Master muttered as he looked up from a small stack of papers piled up on his desk. "There is something I'd like to tell you."

"What is it?" Anise responded, cheerful as ever. She was standing by his door, cradling Tokunaga in her arms.

Ion gave a faint smile. "I have a meeting with the Maestros this afternoon at two o'clock."

Her expression not changing in the least, Anise lifted an eyebrow. She was curious as to where he was going with his statement. "Okay…?"

"Having said that, I think the meeting will last for approximately two or three hours. Would it be to your liking if I gave you some time to do what you'd like?"

Instantly, Anise's face lit up as she ran over to Ion's location, stopping right beside him. "I-is this what I think it is!? Ion…are you giving me some time off!?" she squealed, already knowing of his answer.

"Yes, that's correct." replied the green-haired boy. He glanced at the clock suspended on the wall, reading that it was 1:45 PM. "I'll even give you a head-start. I'm sure you want to go to that new restaurant."

Squealing in delight even louder, the puppeteer said, "How did you know about that? I didn't tell you about it."

Ion chuckled, neatly placing the papers into his desk drawer, after which he proceeded to stand. "It'd only be natural of you to want to go. You're interested in things like that, aren't you?"

"Oh Ion, thank you!" Anise cooed, taking her cue to leave his room. The two of them walked to the round glyph, and used it to teleport to the ground floor below. Ion parted ways with his friend at the main hall of the cathedral, turning in the opposite direction she was headed and into the Chapel in the back.

"Alright! Time to go check it out!" Anise cheered, jumping and running out of the heavy steel doors of the church.

----//o//----

Cinnamon Café was something the brunette had only seen in the large cities of Kimlasca and Malkuth.

The moment she laid eyes on its chocolate brown sign with its golden lining and its name painted in thin, twisting letters, she had a feeling that she would be visiting this increasingly popular hangout more than once. The door was made of glass fitted with a gold handle, and the clear window panes showed all that passed the glamour of the shop.

"In a place like Daath, something like this seems out of place." Anise mused to herself as she stood gazing at the building's façade. "Oh well! It's not as if I'm complaining about it!"

With an audible giggle, the girl pulled on the handle, grinning even wider as she felt the cold steel. She entered, and immediately, delicious smells wafted through the air. It was sweet, with a faint touch of the nutty scent of a mocha frappe being brewed, the cakes and pastries on display at the counter, the sharp smell of coffee, and a whole other array of food and beverages to be consumed.

Framed posters hung from the pale yellow walls, and there were many sets of round tables and chairs situated about the chamber. It was no surprise to Anise that practically the whole café was filled to the brim and the waiters and waitresses looked as if they'd fall down and die of exhaustion at any second. Still, they kept a genuine smile on their faces, and it was great that they could muster the energy to do that.

Anise discovered a vacant table off to the rear. It was the only one left, and she assumed that it must've been destiny. She sat down, and excitedly picked up the menu lying right in front of her. The choices were not so different from those available at the restaurant down the street, but from the pictures, Cinnamon Café looked like it would surpass that cheap establishment by a long shot.

"Excuse me!" the puppeteer called to a waitress who passed by her table. "I'd like a chocolate cake, please."

Something in her words caused the waitress to chortle. "W-will that be a slice, or a whole, miss?" she questioned, fighting the urge to cover her mouth.

Anise narrowed her eyes at the sudden humiliation. Giving a fake chuckle, she uttered, "Of course, I want a slice! Why the hell would I want a whole cake!?"

"I-I see. Please wait a few minutes for your order." the woman answered timidly, and walked away through the crowd.

"Weirdo." Anise grunted. She took to staring at the scenery outside. A bit dull with all its gray-colored glory, but it was home nonetheless.

Suddenly, a familiar voice from behind startled her. She had 'zoned out' long enough not to notice anyone who approached. "What a coincidence seeing _you_ here, Anise." the irritating voice declared.

It was female, and the said female had long, pink hair and was clad in the black uniform of the Oracle Knights. Anise cringed when her suspicions about their identity were confirmed.

"Same to you, Gloomietta." the brunette replied with venom in her voice. "So…why would you even be _talking_ to me? Hmmm?"

"It's not like I want to!" Arietta retorted, clutching her doll tightly. "We just couldn't find anywhere else to sit…"

"Did you say 'we'?" the other girl muttered.

"Exactly."

Arietta turned back, and only then did Anise see the other member of the God-Generals. Sync the Tempest stood quietly, not saying a word. His arms were folded across his chest, and he regarded the two bickering females with a smirk.

"Pardon us. Like you, we don't get many breaks either." he said mockingly. "Since every other table is full, we'll just go ahead and occupy the rest of the chairs of _this_ table."

"W-wha…?" the brunette stammered as the two Oracle Knights proceeded to sit opposite her. "Who said you could do that without my permission!?"

Unfortunately, her question was ignored. Arietta and Sync eventually placed their orders, both suddenly reminding Anise of a couple. She blushed slightly at the thought. "Are you going to answer my question or not?"

Sync sighed. "You needn't mind us. We just wanted to try out this café, and were pretty desperate to find seats."

"How can I ignore you two if you're just sitting there!?"

"I don't know. You'll find a way…probably."

"Grrr!!"

Anise huffed, leaning back in her chair at her loss of the argument. She silently eyed the other two, noting that not a word was exchanged between them. They didn't talk to each other, but seemed lost in their own thoughts. She felt rather uncomfortable at the awkward silence, and finally attempted to break it.

"So…uh…why are you guys so tense?" she inquired.

"I'm not tense. I'm far from it." Arietta growled, glaring at her rival.

"Oh?" the other girl whispered, seeing as to how nervous Arietta was. "What about you, Sync?"

The boy waved his right hand passively. "I'm just tired from my recently-concluded mission."

While Sync's answer was plausible, Arietta's was not. The way she avoided eye contact, how her face was red, and how she had replied was a complete give-away to how she truly felt. But no one was particularly interested in getting the girl to confess. After all, why would Anise be concerned about _her _problems in the first place?

Once again, the awkward silence prevailed.

That is, until the waitress came back carrying skillfully in her hands three ceramic plates, which she laid out in front of the trio. "I'll return with your beverages shortly." She added and turned towards the counter again.

Apparently, Arietta had ordered a plate of penne pasta while Sync had chosen a sandwich of sorts. It was stuffed with lettuce, ham, tomatoes and a white sauce that looked to be mayonnaise, nonetheless. The two had yet to feast on lunch, and this was it.

Ion's current guardian hungrily picked up the steel fork to her left whilst staring at the heavenly slice of cake. She quickly realized the lack of refinement in her actions (not that she had much of it) and with a small giggle put it back down. She wanted to marry into money, didn't she? It was time she learned some proper manners!

Cinnamon Café's cake was absolutely scrumptious. It was no wonder people said that it was like the other elite restaurants across the world. The cake was cold and moist; chocolate syrup oozed out of its middle, and the plate was decorated with thin lines of caramel. Anise cooed silently when she tasted the sweetness of the dish. She put a hand to her cheek, and sighed in contentment.

What she failed to notice though, was the other two sitting across from her were still there, and were currently staring in disbelief at her…eccentric actions.

"Are you still sane there, Anise?" Sync questioned. "Looks to me like you've lost it."

The waitress returned with their drinks, and set them onto the table as well.

"Boooo! I haven't gone crazy!" Anise cried in defense. Suddenly, her tanned face twisted into a grin -- a scheming one. "At least…not as psychotic as you are."

The male God-General fell into a state of silence. Then he said, "I'm definitely far from that."

"Aww! Don't deny it Sync! You know that deep down, you're just crazy…like ME!"

Sync choked on what he was drinking, and slammed the glass down on the poor table. "Say that again, little girl!"

"I am not little!" Anise insisted angrily, responding with the driving of her fork downwards into Arietta's arm, which had unfortunately been resting on the table. Don't worry; it was blunt, and Anise had not done that intentionally.

"OW!" the other girl wailed, retracting her skewered limb in pain. She was suddenly very, very angry. Her hate towards the puppeteer as well as her resentment for the brunette being Ion's current guard surged forth from the depths of her heart. She had tried to suppress them for so long, but right now…she just couldn't.

Cradling her sore arm, she sneered, "How dare you do that to me! …You will pay!!"

----------

**Muhahaha! Food fights…aren't they wonderful? Though I've never actually been involved in one…**

**Anyway, there's another chapter (which is the conclusion) coming right up your alley!**

**Kannono**


	2. Act Two

A/N: Second (and final) chapter, everyone. I desperately need an Xbox 360 now…for Tales of Vesperia. It's been licensed to debut in America!

**Act Two**

With a loud, feline-like screech, Arietta launched herself at the Fon Master Guardian. That was not good; it just made the clawing and punching all the more intense. Anise cringed at the impact and balled her fists, sending them straight into her rival's face and gut. Arietta used her nails for the cat fight, and the two girls wrestled wildly on the floor, attracting the attention of the whole café.

Or rather…they _disturbed_ the whole café.

The racket was almost ear-splitting. Everyone was staring at the battle, either whispering or observing in horror. The personnel couldn't do much; not yet anyway.

"S-stop that!" Anise shrieked, pushing Arietta off of her. The female God-General winced at her now disheveled appearance, for her hair was all over her face and her uniform was dusty! She bit her lip. "I haven't finished yet…!" she growled and pulled back her long black sleeve.

Reaching down, Anise's eyes widened when she saw that Arietta had scooped up her delicious chocolate cake!

"W-what!?" the brunette gasped as she began to back away, but the other advanced, and in an instant, had flung the pastry right into her tanned face!

Anise felt the cake crash onto her features, dirtying them _and_ her hair as well as her clothes when the warm chocolate dripped. A bright red blush creeping up to her cheeks, the thirteen-year old scrambled to her feet in an instant, glaring at Arietta with anger she'd rarely ever felt before.

"Oooh! Gloomietta….you're about to get soiled!!" she declared, and grabbed a handful of the penne pasta, making sure it was still covered in tomato sauce. With another shriek, the messy pasta hit its mark -- Arietta's grimacing face.

"Anise!" Arietta gasped, recovering quickly and swiping the food away. "How could you!?"

Anise grinned with a look of defiance. "Hehe! You asked for it!"

Shaking with pure anger, the little God-General cried in a shrill, menacing voice, "DIE!"

"Oh no…" Sync grumbled from the corner, completely ignored by the other two soldiers. "There they go again."

----

"Take this!" Anise screeched as she threw another barrage of oily pasta. The other girl ducked just in time, but it was her small hat that was hit instead.

By now, the inhabitants of the café could no longer eat in peace. Two waiters had rushed to the fighters' sides, constantly attempting to put a stop to the unneeded disturbance. However, their pleas merely fell onto deaf ears.

"Anise, you imbecile!"

"What'd I do!?"

"That was an assault of pure hate, wasn't it!?"

"Eh? No! It was an accident…I mean, if you're talking about the fork thing, because the pasta wasn't...-"

"Shut up!"

The surrounding walls of the Cinnamon Café were fully covered in red, yellow and brown colors. Tomato sauce ran down the glass window, and the chocolate syrup was smothered all over the table. Arietta and Anise heaved, both physically tired from the ridiculous brawl, yet their minds were not about to give up just yet.

"I should be the one hating you for taking Ion from me!" snarled Arietta, running a hand through her dirty hair.

"Listen to me, Gloomietta…the fork thing was an accident!" Anise explained yet again, but she was still intent on covering her rival in food merely for the satisfaction of it. Now they were taking a short break.

"As if I'd believe such a lie."

"Booo! You're impossible…!"

And with that, the ferocious food fight resumed! Not only food, but also drinks were used as part of the deadly arsenal. It was rather humorous to Sync as he looked on, a visible smirk playing on his lips. In fact, he was probably on the verge of letting out a true laugh…

That is, until a wayward helping of lemonade was splashed onto his face.

Both Anise and Arietta stopped in their tracks, sensations of horror coursing through them. Ion's replica did not dare move for a few moments, as he allowed the sticky lemonade to trickle down his features. Suddenly, his lip quirked and under his mask, his right eye twitched. The boy clenched his fists slowly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"You…" he growled angrily.

"U-um…Sync?" Anise stuttered, taking a step back from the God-General who had just stood from his chair. Right now, he was terribly frightening. What was that dark aura he was emitting? The puppeteer could tell that now not only she, but Arietta as well, were in a world of trouble…and most probable pain.

Sync approached the two, the scowl never leaving his face. "…How dare you, you stupid girls!" he continued as his shoulders began to shake. His incredible temper was already beginning to flare, and it was certain that he wasn't going to be able to control it. The whole café rapidly grew tense all throughout, anxious as to the outcome of the new twist of events.

"Sync, I'm sorry." Arietta apologized, attempting to turn her comrade's anger towards her rival. It would be great to have him unleash his fury upon the woman she hated so much. "…Don't you think it was Anise who did that?"

The brunette sent her a sharp glare. "You always put the blame on others!"

"What did you say? I did no such thing! It was the truth! I-"

"I DON'T CARE, DAMMIT!!" roared the enraged replica, throwing up his arms in exasperation. Arietta and Anise's eyes narrowed. Sync slammed his hands onto the messy table, his nostrils flaring. "Both of you started this idiotic squabble, and what do you seek to accomplish!? You've ruined a public area, and have now affected the reputation of the Order! What do you think the Fon Master and the Commandant are going to say about this…outrage!?" Not that he particularly cared about the Fon Master…

Anise set her jaw, convincing herself to stay composed and not crumble under Sync's glare. She could feel it eventhough the teen was wearing a mask. "Well, of course they won't like it, dimwit." she murmured. However, one must not forget to live life a little, right? To Anise, 'living life' right now was beating Arietta to a bloody, tomato sauce-covered pulp.

"Then why are you still continuing this food fight!?" the male God-General repeated.

"It is a matter of personal gain, Sync." This time it was Arietta who spoke. Whoever won this match would return home with a strengthened sense of pride and defiance over the loser, and the beastmaster was determined to win, even if it meant upsetting the Commandant…and her beloved Ion. "Do not interfere!"

Sync grimaced. He was absolutely enraged over a fight that was not even his own. To think his fellow soldiers could act so childish! It was that fact that angered him. Scoffing, he said, "Fine! Do whatever you want." He took a step backwards, in order to avoid the fighting, but…that was his fatal mistake.

Unfortunately, Sync failed to see the mess on the floor in which he had stepped in; a mix of Arietta's pasta and Anise' cake. The bits of food that remained in the gooey mixture were the cause of the boy's downfall. And it was a fall, literally!

"Agh!" the teen cried in shock as he slipped, his head rushing towards the floor. He tried to balance himself by waving his arms around, but his attempt was futile. He could not prevent what loomed around the corner! What he did succeed in, though, was to change the direction of his embarrassing fall. From plummeting backwards onto his back, Sync fell forward.

However, he suddenly regretted his change in direction. Anise was standing, horrified, right in his path!

_I'd rather break all my limbs!_ the boy screeched in his mind as the possibilities of this mess played themselves to him.

With a yell from the puppeteer, the two collided, falling backwards. The round table was sent teetering before it too turned over. Arietta jumped back, her eyes huge. Inside, she desperately wanted to laugh her head off, yet couldn't, for Sync would pummel her if she did. Instead the girl covered her mouth, hiding her grin.

"What the hell!?" exclaimed Anise, turning a deep shade of red as she realized the position she and Sync were in.

To her, it was like a nightmare. Maybe it was, and she could just wake up in her comfy bed and say it was all a dream. But it was real, and she hated it. How many people in the restaurant were giving her gasps and stares? She was certain that Arietta would spread what was happening as a nasty rumor later on.

"Get off of me…pervert!" the puppeteer sneered angrily.

"W-what? I am not a lowlife like that, idiotic girl!" the other insisted, blushing at the rude comment.

Anise felt her stomach lurch as she floated deeper into mental oblivion. _My life is ruined!!_ she screamed, scowling.

-------

At that second, the door to the café slammed open, the brass bell frantically signalling the entrance of a new customer. All eyes snapped to the newcomers; a blonde woman, and a bearded man that towered over most. Both appeared to be part of the Oracle Knights, and each wore a solemn expression that said they were not to be toyed with.

The two spotted the three teenagers, and instantly rushed to them.

"M-Major Legretta!" Arietta stammered, clutching her dirty stuffed toy. Sending a steely glare at the pink-haired soldier, Legretta the Quick frowned. "Arietta! What is the meaning of this!?" she demanded hotly, crossing her arms.

"We were called here when your little fight was reported to the Order." Largo the Black Lion explained. He scanned the eating area of the three, not yet discovering Sync and Anise, who had not moved from their position due to the shock of their superiors' appearances. "Where are the other two…?"

A faint blush creeped up to Arietta's cheeks. "Um…"

Legretta raised a brow. "Well?"

"O-over there…"

_That traitor!_ Anise growled to herself. Her brown eyes lifted to see the Major standing over them. Immediately, the woman's jaw dropped. She stood still for what seemed like an eternity. Then…"Anise! Sync!" she shouted, reaching down to grab the back of Sync's collar. "What a disgraceful act to be showing in public!"

As Legretta forcefully jerked the Tempest off the brunette, he retorted, "It was just a coincidence. I slipped by accident and-"

"THERE WILL BE NO EXCUSES." the Major interjected. Her voice had almost sounded demonic for a minute there…

A terrified squeak was heard from Arietta, who was standing by Largo, whose face had yet to show emotion. Such a light-hearted event was fit to be ignored, in his opinion. However, Legretta was not going to let them off the hook just yet. Bowing to the staff, she said, "We apologize for this. The Order…will pay for the damages."

The man who looked to be the café's manager nodded grimly, watching as the older knights ushered the younger ones out the door.

"Sir…" a waitress uttered, coming up beside him. In her hands were a broom and cloth. "We'll begin cleaning."

"Hurry up. There are still more customers to attend to." the man sighed, turning to the silent crowd. "Everyone, please continue your business…"

-------

Legretta had lifted Sync off the floor, and was still holding him by the collar when the four exited. Anise was holding her breath; Ion would be displeased with her latest escapade. She wondered about how the other members of the Order would react. They'd probably give her wary glances for the next couple of weeks.

"You have five seconds to explain yourselves." the irked Major snarled as she set Ion's replica down onto Daath's sun-baked cobblestone streets. Her tone was definitely on the verge of being lethal. It was a disgrace to the Order of Lorelei, and they all had to uphold its reputation.

"It was Anise' fault…" Arietta piped, facing away from her rival.

"There you go again; blaming others!" roared Anise, lifting a balled fist.

"And you're lying!"

"Gloomietta, you…you…!"

"That's enough!" Largo said, stepping inbetween the squabbling girls. He had had just about enough with their quarrels, for their rivalry was famous amongst the Oracle Knights, and they would argue whenever their paths crossed, without fail. The tall man patted each on the shoulder. "Would it be possible to let peace reign…even for a mere day?"

The brunette shuffled her feet, gazing at the plain sidewalk beneath her. "Well, I guess…"

"Good." was all Legretta said, as she held Arietta and Sync by the wrists. Dragging them towards the Cathedral, she looked over her shoulder at Anise. "We will have a further discussion about this in private later. I suggest you return to your duties for now, Cantor Tatlin."

Gulping, Anise nodded in agreement. For some reason, she couldn't move. She was a tad bit scared to make her way back to the Cathedral, but she knew that she had to. Soon, she and Largo were the only ones standing in front of the restaurant.

"I'll be taking my leave." uttered the giant. Not bothering to await the young girl's answer, he too walked down the street in the direction of the stone structure at the center of the city, trailing after his comrades.

"Lorelei…that was such a mess." Anise groaned, shaking her head. She was slowly regretting it now. They should have acted like civilized people, yet in the end, it turned out to be just like what Sync said it was; a childish fight. Absently craning her head to observe the other knights' retreating backs, the puppeteer's eyes widened slightly.

Sync was staring at her from over his shoulder. On his masked face was both a grimace and smirk.

_W-what the heck is he looking at!?_ thought the girl feverishly, tearing her own stare from the boy's. It was not realized, but once more, on her tanned features was a light pink blush. Choosing to shrug off the strange connection, Anise put her foot forward, bracing herself for Legretta's hellish punishment.

"That Sync is…an idiot too…"

--------------------

**Ridiculous ending there. I couldn't think of anything that Sync and Anise could say to each other…oh well, I suppose it didn't turn out that bad. And if this didn't seem all that romantic or fluffy, it's because I discovered that I can't write romance stories. They're just not my forte.**

**Kannono**


End file.
